ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Following a loss in five sets just two days prior, SWOSU Volleyball got on the other side of the result on Thursday night with a 3-2 road victory against Henderson State.

The Bulldogs, now 9-5 overall and 4-2 in the GAC, earn a tough victory over the Reddies who entered the night in a tie for second place in the conference standings with just one league loss. They'll have little time to celebrate though, with a matchup across the street against Ouachita Baptist set for 5:00 pm tomorrow evening.

Thursday's match displayed an interesting game flow. The first four sets ended with the set victor winning by margins of +8, +7, +8, and +5 and featured a total of just three lead changes between teams – all those lead changes coming very early in the frames before an aggressor was established.

The Reddies jumped out to a 1-0 lead after controlling the first set, before the Bulldogs answered with the next two sets as their own. SWOSU needed just one more set victory to wrap things up but managed to hit just .100 in the fourth which allowed HSU to force the deciding fifth.

Scores finally tightened up in the fifth. SWOSU didn't hit much better from the fourth to the fifth but limited the Reddies to a flat .000 in the final frame.

After a back-and-forth early, SWOSU trailed 12-11 before a pair of Zoey Spark blocks sandwiched between a Lacy Mott kill had the Dawgs at match point. The Reddies called timeout looking to shift momentum, but out of the break an attack went long for the home side and SWOSU celebrated. Final, 3-2 Dawgs, in a fifth set that was 15-12 two days after dropping a 15-11 fifth set to Oklahoma Baptist.

Hailey Smith led the offense with a season high 13 kills and added three blocks (1s-2a) followed by Maicee Morgan with a team high .229 hitting percentage and 11 kills. Lacy Mott added 10 kills. Smith has provided SWOSU a huge boost lately, averaging 12 kills and four blocks over the past three matches.

Defensively, Sparks finished with four solo blocks, a season high, and got in on another three with other players. Jada Permenter led the team with 16 digs.